Teens listen to teens. So when the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition wanted to create a message for them, they enlisted the help of students at Kahuku and Kaimuki high schools.

The results are two 30-second public service announcements about dangers associated with automobiles, underscoring that motor vehicle crashes are among the top causes of death among teenagers.

"Each time a teen driver adds a passenger to the car, their chance of getting into a car crash goes up 100 percent," said Su Yates, director of the Keiki Coalition. The problem is they get distracted, Yates said, adding that the statistic comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Television stations across the Islands will run the public service announcements, which were released Wednesday, she said.

The upbeat and professionally produced videos were developed with ideas from teenagers and a $42,450 grant from the state Department of Transportation. Teen actors play all the parts in the productions that address dangers of driving distractions and the need for the new graduated drivers license law.

When teens were asked how to reach their peers, they suggested highlighting the impact a crash death has on the family and friends, Yates said. The challenge of the public service announcement is to help teen drivers make the safe move in that moment of decision, she said.

Manaia Moeai, a Kahuku High student, was one of several teens who contributed ideas to the project. Having teens deliver the message will carry more weight with the the younger set, Moeai said, noting that with the recent deaths of four teenagers in Hau'ula, the message will be more meaningful.

"This will make them think twice and that safety is important," she said.

Auto and motorcycle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers between ages 16 and 19, according to Dan Galanis with the state Department of Health. Hawai'i has been averaging 15 deaths a year from such crashes.

With the recent deaths of four teenagers in two separate crashes on the same day in Hau'ula last month, the videos are a poignant reminder that speed, alcohol and teenage drivers add up to a deadly combination.

The professional quality of the public service announcements will help get the video on the air, said producer Dan Ziegler, who donated his time to the project. When deciding which of the hundreds of public service announcements to run, he said, TV stations tend to look for something eye-catching. "It's always worth a little bit of money for production," Ziegler said. "It's cheaper than buying air time."

A contemporary musical beat and camera angles give the video an edgy appeal, said Dr. Linda Rosen, DOE chief of Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention Systems Branch.

Keri Kubota, a 16-year-old Kailua High student, said acting in the videos opened her eyes about death rates among teens, especially when more people are in the car, but she's not sure everyone will get the message.

"I think it's good to promote awareness," Kubota said. She added, "But I personally don't think the message will get across to teens unless it's happened to someone they know or to themselves."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.